Yamaha honored for exemplary trail work

April 26, 2013

(Yamaha workers and family members plant trees.)

Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., the “Stay The Trail” off-highway vehicle education program in Colorado and the Cheaha Trail Riders’ Danny Hubbard in Alabama all received prestigious awards on April 16 from the American Trails organization.

American Trails is a national, nonprofit organization working on behalf of all trail interests, promoting the creation, conservation and broad enjoyment of quality trails and greenways. Its National Trails Awards is one of the ways that American Trails recognizes the exemplary people and organizations working to create and sustain a national system of trails to meet the recreation, health, and travel needs of all Americans.

The awards are given out every two years during the American Trails National Symposium.

Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. earned the group’s Corporate Award. This award is given to a business or corporation that has demonstrated significant, sustained, and exemplary service to trail planning, implementation, and/or recreation.

Yamaha Motor Corporation established the Yamaha OHV Access Initiative in 2008 to support the OHV community nationwide. In the past four years, the initiative has supported thousands of miles of trails by maintaining riding areas, building necessary bridges, and financially supporting nonprofit organizations that seek to increase OHV access in their respective communities. The Initiative’s GRANT Program has now invested in 37 different states, contributing more than $2 million to community projects.

In addition, Yamaha Motor Corporation’s employees have volunteered more than 500 hours to the improvement of OHV trails and the planting of trees in the San Bernardino National Forest in California.

The “Stay The Trail” program in Colorado earned the organization’s Outstanding Trail Sharing Award. This award recognizes innovative and successful trail sharing efforts, programs and systems.

Established in 2002, the Stay The Trail OHV Education Program was developed by the Responsible Recreation Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, federal Bureau of Land Management and Colorado Parks and Wildlife. The program encourages responsible trail and land use in the state of Colorado.

Its outreach activities include towing educational trailers throughout the state, maintaining the program’s website, and advertising to increase awareness and discourage irresponsible OHV use on public lands. In addition to educating the public, Stay The Trail works directly with local land managers and recreation staff to provide innovative solutions to trail issues that arise.

Danny Hubbard, a member of the AMA-chartered Cheaha Trail Riders in Alabama, earned a State Trail Advocacy Awards. The Trail Advocacy award is given to an individual who has demonstrated successful efforts to influence public policy relating to trail planning, trail protection, trail development or maintenance.